


forest for the trees

by zappactionsdower



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M, felix is the scariest teacher on campus, get in felix we're going ruins-hunting, professors professing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29524623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zappactionsdower/pseuds/zappactionsdower
Summary: Felix Hugo Fraldarius was a bit of a legend in Garreg Mach University.  He was known throughout the history department to be a complete and utter terror and Dimitri personally witnessed many young, formerly bright and excited students run out of his office in tears after having their essays torn to shreds.Dimitri gave up talking to him the first time they had a professional gathering.  Felix gave him the most withering, sour stare and that was that.Perhaps that was why Dimitri felt so - insecure, sitting next to the glowering man in Seteth’s office.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: 2021 Dimilix Week





	forest for the trees

Felix Hugo Fraldarius was a bit of a legend in Garreg Mach University. He was known throughout the history department to be a complete and utter terror and Dimitri personally witnessed many young, formerly bright and excited students run out of his office in tears after having their essays torn to shreds.

And yet he was popular. His class,  _ The Study of Weaponry Pre-Unification _ , was one of the most attended electives in the entire college. Ashe once complained that Felix’s class opening up for registration each semester needed to have its own server to handle the overflow of traffic.

Felix rarely spoke to his fellow professors and often in only short, curt sentences. He drove a two-seat Dagdan car and listened, seemingly exclusively, to thirty year old punk music. He wore a velvet blue jacket over black turtlenecks and dark blue jeans.

Dimitri gave up talking to him the first time they had a professional gathering. Felix gave him the most withering, sour stare and that was that.

Perhaps that was why Dimitri felt so - insecure, sitting next to the glowering man in Seteth’s office. Seteth, unaware or unwilling to admit the tension in the room, simply held up two huge stacks of papers.

Seteth was, all things considered, quite an excellent dean of the history department. He could be tight-fisted with the budget but Dimitri found him encouraging all the same.

Right now the green-haired man looked like a particularly pensive principal.

“I must say, it’s quite something to come to the exact same conclusion in such different ways.” Seteth set the two research papers down with a gentle thud. “I am rather impressed.”

“The only way this man - “ Felix refused to look Dimitri’s way and instead made a derisive huff - “could get to the same place is if he copied  _ my  _ work.”

Dimtiri’s hackles rose. “I assure you I would have done nothing of the sort! If y - “

Seteth coughed. “Both of you are honorable men and I have no reason to believe in any wrongdoing. There have been,” he paused, tapping his finger against the top of Dimitri’s research paper, “whispers of some ancient tribe inhabiting the ruins of Old Fhirdiad but nothing has ever been proven. That is what impressed me most about  _ both  _ of your papers.” He leaned back and crossed his arms. “However, I am afraid I do not have the budget this year to send you separately for further research.”

Dimtiri’s heart sank. Beside him, Felix crossed his arms.

“ _ Separately _ .” Seteth repeated. “However, I do believe I can send you both together for at least a one-week trip to Old Fhirdiad. Please have a budget for me to review next Monday.”

Dimitri’s pulse sped up, just as Felix made a growl. “I will absolutely not work with him.”

“Fraldarius, you can cut the dramatics.” Seteth tapped his finger again. “In my experience, a Fraldarius and a Blaiddyd are a highly effective pair. I suggest you make peace with this one.”

Dimtiri blinked. “I did not know you met my fa - “

“Next Monday, gentlemen. Good day..” Seteth turned his attention away to his computer screen. It was a clear dismissal and Dimitri knew from experience it was impossible to get anywhere. 

Instead he looked at one very hostile Felix Hugo Fraldarius and forcefully managed a smile.

“It will be a pleasure.” Dimitri lied.

Felix stood up and stormed out.

The history department of GMU was small. It was an elite school, after all, with a focus more on law and politics and many a future leader of Fodlan graduated under the school’s centuries-long history. Dimitri had, very briefly, considered a path into politics but he found he enjoyed the way his students shared his love of history more than some life of cameras and microphones and arguing with others.

But their department hardly had all the grandiosity of some of the other fields. Dimitri’s own office was small and homely with several pictures of family and friends tucked neatly with houseplants and research books.

Felix’s office, it seemed, was even more spartan. He had thick books lined up on a short bookshelf and one photograph on his desk. Dimitri’s attention was drawn to the replica sword on the wall though, the only decoration in the entire thing.

“Is that an Aegis replica?” Dimitri asked, hoping he sounded non-intrusive.

“What do you want?” Felix didn’t look up from his computer screen.

Ah, yes. All business. Dimitri could deal with that. “I drew up a hypothetical budget last night for our lodgings and needs. I was hoping you could look it over and provide some feedback” He held out a small ledger with notes and maps and hotel information. Dimtiri enjoyed research - something about the quiet activity of checking and cross-checking soothed his nerves and allowed him to focus better than the rowdy events they called inter-departmental meetings.

Felix snatched the sheets away and began to flip through them. Dimitri waited, toying with his fingers as he thought of how best to create a test about Almyra-Fodlan interactions over the centuries.

“Why are you only recommending canned goods?” Felix asked sourly.

Dimitri hesitated. “Apologies. I wanted to focus on the hotel rooms as I know many are - less than reputable.” Food was never a priority for Dimitri - he wasn’t the best cook and found that grilled cheese or salads sufficed with most of his nutrients coming from one of the many dining halls on campus.

“Why do we need two rooms?” Felix finally flicked his gaze up, judging Dimitri.

“I thought you might want some privacy.”

“Are you some sort of murdering psychopath?” Felix’s eyes narrowed.

“Of course not. I am told I am a model roommate.” Dimitri crossed his arms. He was trying - he really was - but Felix was hardly being helpful.

“Then we share a room. I am not spending the time eating weeds.” Felix tossed the papers back to him. “Don’t forget to account for snow equipment as that area is always covered.”

Dimitri grimaced. He clenched his fist, unclenched it,  _ breathed _ .

This was for the sake of research. It was proving a long-contested theory.

“Of course.”

Seteth approved their plans on Wednesday morning and provided them with GMU’s signature green and white credit cards.

The following Monday, Felix met him at the train stop with two small backpacks and one large trunk of luggage and they departed for Old Fhirdiad.

Felix sat beside him, completely silent. He had headphones over his head and his nose tucked in a book.

Dimitri did not sit still very well. He’d always been an active child, his father routinely sending him on a run in the morning and at night and the same habits continued as he’d aged. It was a joke about the Blaiddyd family - they were work horses and then some.

He tilted his head, thoughtfully examining the novel in Felix’s hands. “Oh - you also read  _ Eisner’s Letters on the Church of Seiros _ ?”

Felix grunted.

“It was my favorite when going for my Masters. Whenever I felt stressed, it was - relaxing, I suppose. It made me think that my goals would be worthy.”

“They’re too flowery. Just say what you want to say and be done with it.” Felix replied. 

“Ah - I’ve never heard that criticism of Eisner before. They were often known for being very reticent.” Dimitri smiled. “I can see what you mean though.”

Felix slammed the book shut. “I’m taking a nap.”

Old Fhirdiad was too cold to be a tourist trap. Before the Adrestian Empire’s Great Conquest, it had been the capital of the old kingdom of Faerghus. Like most empires though, Adrestia over-exerted itself and the people of Faerghus soon began to assert their independence again and, through political maneuvering and alliances with Almyra, Duscur, and Sreng, the Empire was forced to give up the territory it once attempted to lay claim to.

Unfortunately, most of the old history of Faerghus was lost or absorbed during the Great Purge. Entire records were simply wiped out or turned into folk tales and many historians dedicated their lives to trying to fill in the blanks. 

The capital itself was long ago destroyed and all that remained were black stones and the empty husk of the previous castle. The people who lived there simply did so because they always lived there and the one site beyond that was a tiny church tucked quietly at the base of one of the mountains. There was very little of note about it - a small haven for those bold and reckless enough to attempt to scale the large mountains beyond Old Fhirdiad.

Indeed - it was freezing as Dimitri and Felix stepped off the train. The only reason there was a train at all was that Old Fhirdiad was on the way to Duscur. Only one other person disembarked - a small elderly woman with several stacks of luggage loaded up on a tiny sled.

“Allow me.” Dimitri offered as he helped load up the heavy suitcases and large trunk. The woman murmured in a heavy north Faerghus accent and Dimitri nodded along as they headed towards the center of the town and towards the hotel.

He forgot about Felix very briefly but after waving patiently to the woman (and declining - several times - about meeting the woman’s young daughter) he turned his attention back to his fellow professor.

Felix had his arms crossed and an odd look upon his face.

“Apologies.” Dimitri puffed a breath of air that floated upwards. “To the hotel?”

The hotel turned out to be a small, flat stone building. A woman with cinnamon blonde hair handed them an old metal key and gestured down a winding hallway. “It’s not very much but it should keep out the cold. This used to be an old barrack we think but the building’s older than my family.”

Felix was already surveying the surroundings. He walked up to some of the wall decorations - old, battered shields, and tapped them appraisingly.

“Are these real?”

“Possibly.” The woman smiled. “But they aren’t worth anything. It’s amazing what you can find if you go to the rivers on a spring day.”

Felix grunted. “Dimitri.”

Dimitri nearly jumped. It was the first time he recalled Felix ever using his name. “Yes?”

“Come here.”

Obediently, Dimitri thanked the hostess and met Felix near the decorative shields. Felix pointed to the edges, his gaze sharp and critical.

Dimitri leaned close, trying to make out what interested the other. The shield looked like regular steel from the era with the - 

“Those aren’t Faerghus etchings.” Dimitri mused out loud. Old Faerghus used crisp lines and sharp runes. The shield, insead, had little stars and swirling loops still barely visible.

Felix almost -  _ almost  _ \- looked pleased.

At least until they arrived in their room.

There, Felix’s scowl returned to its usual place. Dimitri could practically see him seething, not that he blamed him because - 

“That is quite a big bed.”

Felix growled.

Therein was the problem. The room itself was expansive enough and sparsely decorated with a fireplace in the corner and a small heater buzzing away.

And a bed.

One bed.

“Did you screw this up?” Felix turned, glaring somewhere at Dimitri’s neck.

“You did book the hotel room.” Dimitri answered, just as vexed.

That seemed to do something as Felix flushed and turned away. “I’ll go see if I can get it switched around.”

“I don’t mind sleeping on the flo - “

Felix waved him away and disappeared back into the hallway.

Five minutes later, he returned, head down. “She upgraded us.”

“I’m sorry?” Dimitri blinked.

“We’re stuck.” Felix kicked past him to the bed and began unpacking his things. “Just don’t kick me at night. I take first shower.”

Dimitri tugged his knit sweater tighter around him. Even with the heater, it was rather cold. Felix was under two blankets and wore two different hoodies and he still looked quite put out. He was sitting with a large stack of papers and writing notes in red pen.

“Do you need any assistance?” Dimitri knew the exhaustion of grading papers all too well - more than once he’d ended a night with terrible eyestrain and seeing pencil marks everywhere. His optometrist would be recommending glasses before very long.

“You’re too gentle with them.” Felix didn’t even bother to look at him. 

“You think I’m too gentle?” Dimitri’s thoughts drifted to three months ago when two young women left Felix’s office in visible tears. “Perhaps you’re too harsh.”

Felix very loudly clicked his pen and continued on.

Dimitri bit back a sigh. Very well then. 

He could do this.

He would do this.

He slid under the covers on the farthest edge of the bed. “Good night Felix.”

Felix grunted.

Dimitri could spend hours explaining, in great detail and with great enthusiasm, the transition from old Fodlan to new Fodlan through a mix of mercantile inroads, diplomacy, and the von Aegir horseless plow.

He could not understand one Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> The most powerful person is any university department is the person with the P-card.
> 
> (also Felix made the mistake of saying "My partner and I are visiting ruins" to the hotel manager. She took it as a romantic getaway.)


End file.
